University Conference, Ice Cream Sandwiches, and Swiss Days

Mike had a busy week at school in preparation for the new school year, and we headed Midway into the mountains on the weekend in celebration of our Swiss heritage.

The kids had their first full week of school and gymnastics, so now we are getting a real feel for their schedule and how we want to arrange our morning routines. Mike’s unusual schedule of relatively early starts to his days put Mom in charge of coordinating everyone else, but she really enjoyed the idea of sending the kids out the door to walk up with the other neighbor kids to class. Mom also loves the idea of cheaper school lunches and was happy to send the kids to school buying lunch a few times this week.

Monday was the first day of BYU’s University Conference. Mike attended the opening session at the Marriott Center, and then Hallie met him at the Hinckley Center for lunch with President Worthen, the university vice presidents and their spouses, and other new faculty and their guests. We enjoyed the meal and getting to meet other people who are starting new at the university.

After lunch, Hallie went back home to get the kids and take them to gymnastics while Mike attended another general session of the conference for faculty. Mike appreciates the intention behind so much of what the university is trying to accomplish here. He considers himself very fortunate to have the type of job he has. While each institution has its own personality and way of expressing its goals and the role of faculty in carrying out those aims, there is an overall consistency of wanting to do good in the world that comes with university life.

The conference continued Tuesday morning with breakfast al fresco at Brigham Square outside the WSC followed by some open house events and Mike getting his office looking more cozy. He may have mentioned that he has only one corner transom window. This means that he has precious little natural light but ample wall space. It also means that his open door acts as a window of sorts. He opted to create a sort-of Y-shaped tree with leaves made from little quotations, insights, and pictures he has collected over the years and written on Post-it notes and other scraps of paper. He has also pulled out the books and nick-nacks and started adding color to the space to make it an inviting work environment. Someone suggested that at some point (as in, in a few years. Yikes.), he would have an office with a window facing out (to Y Mountain – quite the view!). Until then, he has bright colors and an open door to bring in as much cheer and natural light as possible.

Both children had gymnastics after school, so Hallie had some time, after watching the kids for a bit, to take care of some errands of her own.

Wednesday was McKay Day, the School of Education’s annual conference day, for Mike and the MSE. They met at the Utah Valley Convention Center for another all-day set of meetings. As with his experiences at the other places he has worked, Mike learned more by what was not said than what was said, which is meaningful. There is an inherent tension in academic work between individual scholarship and institutional citizenship, and each place has sought its own balance. Mike appreciates when the potential “elephants in the room” are discussed at these larger meetings. He also appreciates working with people who acknowledge those elephants.

We did a small group activity that involved collaborating to put together a difficult mostly single-color jigsaw puzzle. We worked together well and emerged as one of the first tables to finish. At the end of meeting, we received a little puzzle-themed gift to remind us of how we are each a part of the whole. As we left, we also were treated to ice cream sandwiches out of a pink food truck operated by The Penguin Brothers. Mike opted for Cookie Monster ice cream to complement his chocolate chip cookies. Nom, nom, nom!

We have followed the post-hurricane events in Texas with a mixture of shock and awe as people have come together in the wake of such terrible destruction. Humanity is at its worst and finest during such times, and we hope to be up to the task of responding with dignity and kindness should such troubles come our way. We managed to get out of California before the recent heat wave that has struck there. The heat caused a multi-day power outage at Cal Lutheran. All we have gotten lately is a couple of bouts of gentle rain. Mike took Eliza out for a walk in it, and she acted as if she'd never seen the wet stuff fall. Too funny!

On Thursday, Mike had an all-day department meeting at the McKay building. Lots of exciting activities to look forward to this year! He’s on a couple of committees that align with his interests, and he looks forward to learning from his colleagues and contributing to the on-going department conversation.

In the afternoon, Hallie took on the role of babysitter for a couple of the employees at Airtime. It’s a win-win for everyone involved, although the babies might need a couple of weeks to get used to our new faces. Mike came by after work and used some of his baby whisperer charms to soothe one of the little ones.

Friday was a busy day for everyone. Mike spent the entire day in Salt Lake, but his activities were of a personal rather than a scholarly nature. Macen, the oldest child of family friends from when we lived in the Belle Isle Branch, got married in the Salt Lake Temple, and Mike attended the ceremony and luncheon. He met other members of the newlyweds’ extended family and caught up with our friends. What a great way to spend a day! Our family is so happy for Macen, Amber, and their families!

He also spent time at the City Creek Center and later at the Church History Museum watching a presentation given by a docent on the Grandin Press and walking through an exhibit of paintings titled Saints at Devil’s Gate: Landscapes along the Mormon Trail.

Later, Mike met up with the rest of the gang at the church where the reception was held. Again, we got to reconnect and hear news about not only the Stueshers but other families from our old branch who either had come out to celebrate or who knew members of the families. The ripples from our time in Belle Isle continue to be felt a decade – a decade! – after we first moved to Detroit. Where did the time go?

On Saturday morning while Hallie ran a couple of errands, Mike and the kids made pencil boxes at the Home Depot.

Then we drove up to Midway to enjoy some Swiss heritage at Swiss Days. We’re really not sure how much Swiss there was there beyond the white crossed red flags, a couple of sightings of girls in costume, and a yodeler on the main performance stage, but we enjoyed scones, tri tip, and outrageously delicious cookies from Süss Cookie Co. On the way walking back to the car, we even had Diddy Riese-style cookie sandwiches with locally made Rockwell Ice Cream. Sooooo goooood! Too much to eat right then, so we downed the ice cream before it melted and saved the cookies for later. Good thing tomorrow was fast Sunday.  

Sunday dawned sunny and a bit cooler. Fall is in the air in spite of the late-day heat. Shortly before church Hallie was asked to play the piano for Relief Society. A bit of trepidation was warranted as it had been a while since Hallie had played in front of people, but she said she would give it a try. There was enough time that she practiced the two hymns several times before we headed on our brief walk to church.

Today during sacrament three new families’ names were read into the ward, including ours. It is fun to see a ward continuing to grow. Landon said his friend gave him gum at church which makes us stoked to think that after today being only his second Sunday he has a friend.

After church we Skyped with Caleb and Diamond, and that is always fun to see them even though they are so very far away. We then got in the car and drove a bit up Hobble Creek Canyon. We stopped when we saw some horses close to a fence, and Eliza fed a horse an apple she chose not to eat. When we got back in the car and Landon said how cool that experience was, it made Mom’s not so cool car ride just a bit cooler. On our way home we stopped briefly at Bartholomew Park (it has a lake and a beach!), and then Mike showed us a park right by the church the rest of us had never seen, and so we hung out for a bit and ran into a family from church.

Soon it was time to head home and call Alie, Grandma, and Grandpa O. It was fun talking to all of them on the phone, and we miss getting to see them as often as we did in California. They have been taking care of Fergus for us, and Alie told us all kinds of things Fergus has been up to. How fun it was to talk to them!